What You Don't Know
by savannavansmutsmut
Summary: A summer infatuation for a lonely teen goes awry, as her decision to only look becomes a life-altering event when he decides to touch. A full-length story told in 10 compact chapters! ALL BPOV.
1. Chapter 1

WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW

By Savannavansmutsmut

**Chapter 1 – Rattled**

I watched him from across the campgrounds. His family was going to be here for the entire summer, and they had arrived in time for the Memorial Day weekend. They had rented a cabin close to us, but I knew better than to bother with them. Any family that could take three months off and spend it in the mountains was definitely out of my league.

Not that I was looking to make friends; the only reason I was friends with Jessica was because she just kept talking to me. I was not sure if I had ever actually spoken a full sentence in her presence, but she never seemed to care. She was always in her own world, going off on some tangent or another. I didn't think she really cared who she was talking to, as long as someone was listening to her, and for some strange reason, she believed I was.

My father was a forest ranger, maintaining the Verde Glen Campgrounds, which were north of Payson, Arizona. Every summer, I would come up and stay with him in the cabin where he lived. It was a tiny one-bedroom log structure, with a loft that was "my room," but I had to admit, getting out of the desert sun and up into the mountains was always nice.

I had a hammock I had strung between two trees, and I climbed in and settled down to read the latest trashy novels I had picked up from the library's used book section for a quarter. It was the same ritual I had followed every summer since I was thirteen, and my friend, Jessica, had introduced me to the more questionable section of the library. Of course, I was smart enough not to check them out and leave behind any evidence of our little addiction. That was one conversation I really didn't want to have, and I figured what they didn't know wouldn't hurt me. I would buy a few books instead, clearing out the shelf before I left for my father's place, where I could read them in peace.

I'd made the drive on my own this year. My home in Phoenix was not that far, and since I was almost eighteen, my parents conceded and let me drive myself. Besides, I really wanted transportation around the tiny town that was nearby. I had developed an addiction to a certain soft drink that was not available within walking distances to the campground, and so I needed my wheels to be able to acquire my source of nectar from the gods.

I pulled my book up closer and pretended to read, as I watched the boy across the way unload the back of a very large SUV. His shirt was tight, and his muscles rippled. The tight jeans he was wearing didn't hurt his rear-end profile, either. I bit my lip, wondering what it would be like to touch him there. Since I was not a talkative girl myself, and I hung out with an overly talkative girl in Jessica, she and I were basically the only single girls in our high school. It seemed like everyone else was either seriously dating, engaged or pregnant. We were none of those things, and most the time, I was okay with that.

I had big plans for my future, and they didn't involve the horny boys at my school. I was smart, and I knew I wanted more than what getting involved with any of them would get me. This was my last summer as a high school student. Next summer, I would be enrolling in one of the many colleges I was sure would accept me. I would probably be busy doing interviews and looking for housing. This was my last summer to relax and just be a kid, before my big life plans came into play.

I glanced back at my dirty book and smiled at the words before me. They would keep me company, until I would graduate college, then as I settled into my career, I would look for a suitable man to settle down with. Until then, I could just keep myself entertained in other ways. I might have been a studious bookworm, but I actually did know how to have fun.

I saw the guy close the back of the car and head inside, and I decided to do the same, since the show was over. Pity. He was definitely something, and watching him was going to be fun this summer. I sighed, marking my place in my book, before I crawled out of my hammock, putting my naughty thoughts away for the night. Besides, I would have to rub down with the DEET to keep the bugs away, before I had my nightly s'mores, and said rubbing didn't need to get out of hand.

I popped open a couple of cans of stew, making a note that I would have to convince my dad to let me do some grocery shopping. I didn't think I could handle another summer of canned goods. My dad mostly used the microwave. How did I know this? Because there was a huge spider web covering the stove and vent, and the poor thing must have been starved, because even the flies knew there was no food over there. My dad was a consummate bachelor, and cooking obviously was not on his list of priorities.

I set the bowls out on the table and pulled some bread from the breadbox. My dad came in a few minutes later and kissed my head.

"Hey, honey, thanks for this. How was your day?" he asked smiling.

"Good, it's nice and quiet here. I like it."

"You know, if you ever want to be a forest ranger, I could put in a good word for you," my dad offered.

"I don't think I'm up for that. I'd probably get into trouble for reading on the job," I teased. "Besides, bears and wolves scare the crap out of me."

"I know, honey, but a man can dream. I'd love for you to settle down around here," he smiled. "I miss you so much during the school year."

I leaned over and kissed his cheek. "I know, Daddy. I miss you, too. Maybe someday, you'll get your wish," I grinned. My dad smiled back at me wistfully. Yeah, I really missed him, too, a lot.

After I cleaned up from dinner, I slathered my body in bug repellant and even greased up my hair and then put on a hat. They loved the taste of my scalp just as much as my legs. I grabbed my four-pack of Virgil's and my s'mores ingredients and made my way to the center fire pit. I double checked the rocks and cleared out the weeds. It had been dry, but there hadn't been a fire ban yet. I was hoping there wouldn't be one this summer. S'mores made over the stovetop was just not the same, and I would feel bad to ruin spidey's hard work. He might have been starving, but being homeless would suck, too.

Once I had that all cleared, I went to the woodpile for firewood. I stopped, hearing the rattling of a diamond back. I let out a sigh. I knew I needed to take care of it, before someone else got hurt. I hurried into the cabin and pulled out the snake stick, which was just a long stick with a hook on it, and quickly got back to work, looking for the thing.

I poked around the firewood with the snake stick, until I heard it again. I was about to get down and swipe under the left side of the stack, when I heard a voice. "Hey, whatcha doing?"

I jumped. "Sheesh!" I said annoyed not even looking at who had spoken to me. "You need to stay back. I need to move the rattler from the woodpile, before I can start the fire," I warned.

"Rattler?" the voice asked, a little shaky.

"Yeah, you know, rattlesnake, deadly poisons, so back off and let me work," I snapped, and I heard their steps quickly retreating, which was a smart move on their part.

I was finally able to swipe it out with the hook and held it away from me. I heard a few swear words from behind me, when I pulled it out flailing, but I didn't dare take my eyes off the angry creature to see who it was. I walked it a ways into the woods, not far from a dry creek bed, and kind of tossed it away from me and then headed back.

When I got back to the clearing, a few of the campers were looking nervously at the woodpile, so I took it upon myself to gather up some wood and start the fire, like I had planned. Once it was going good, there were enough people around to keep an eye on it, so I could get me a bucket of ice for my Virgil's. I came back and sat down, moving my drinks to my ice pail, ignoring the kids regaling whoever had joined us about my wild fight with the snake. Apparently, it was now ten feet long and a foot thick round. The thing was barely five feet long, if that, and even though it was dangerous, my father had taught me how to deal with them a long time ago. As long as you remembered to respect each other and not do anything stupid, it was not dramatic at all.

I kicked back on my favorite log and popped the lid on a Virgil's vanilla diet cream soda. The ice had chilled the amber liquid in the glass longneck bottles to the perfect temperature. These things were heaven in a bottle. I had happened upon them on accident, buying one on clearance, and then spent the rest of the year finding out who sold them. I knew the local Safeway would have them, and I planned on making a trip to the store tomorrow to replenish my supply. I took a deep swig of my drink and pulled out my book. I knew it wasn't good to read by firelight, but the dim lights in the cabin weren't much better. Besides, this way I would look like I was being sociable and helpful by keeping an eye on the fire.

I was nearly done with my trashy romance novel, when the voice from before spoke to me. I didn't bother looking up, as I didn't want to lose my place.

"What are you reading?" he asked.

"None of your business," I snapped. Nosy wanker.

"Can I have a drink? I'm over twenty-one," he said with smirk in his voice.

"No, get your own, these babies are mine," I said pulling my coveted bucket of Virgil's closer to me. Obviously, this guy didn't know me, or he'd have known I didn't share my Virgil's, with anyone.

He chuckled. "Suit yourself," he said, but I could feel he was still there watching me. I finally finished reading the last of my book and tossed it into the fire.

"What the…?" the voice said. He was just outside of the glow of the fire ring, so the light was blinding me from being able to see him. "What did you do that for?" he asked.

"I was done with it," I said and popped the lid off of my last drink, taking a long swig.

"Well, maybe I wanted to borrow it."

"There's a public library in town for that." This guy was getting on my nerves. The ice was mostly melted and perfect for putting out a fire, so once I was done with my drink, I looked around and could see someone standing back in the shadows, but everyone else had gone to bed. "You done?" I asked pointing to the fire.

"Yeah," the voice said, and I got to work burying the fire and pouring the water on the hot coals. I felt his eyes on me, but I ignored it. I dropped my bottles in the recycle bin and went inside for a shower. My dad came in after making his rounds of checking the campfires, making sure they were all put out properly.

"You did good on the fire out front. I also hear you wrangled a monster rattler?" he chuckled.

"Learned from the best," I nodded and grinned, before I headed for bed.

The next morning, I checked my bag, making sure I had what I needed to go shopping. I was looking forward to having something to eat that didn't have an underlying metallic taste to it. My dad had moved the crates to the front porch for me to use at the store. He didn't like plastic grocery bags, something about them being the devil or whatever. Needless to say, there was a lot of rubbish to be picked up around the camp, and he didn't want to add to it. So with the crates loaded, I headed into town to do my shopping.

I had loaded one of the crates full of my sodas. I pretty much bought them out, and I told the guy stocking that I would be needing more next week, so he had better order them now. He looked at me as if I was nuts, but I would have his if I had to go without my soda. Someone would think I had a drinking problem, but it was just non-alcoholic, sugar-free and caffeine-free soda. I was really just addicted to the flavor.

I noticed the hot guy watching me curiously from across the camp as I unloaded, and I might have bent over just a bit in my short shorts, just to be a brat. I grabbed my coveted drinks and took them inside, not wanting to risk someone snagging one. Okay, I might have been a little obsessive about the soda, but it was freaking good!

The rest of the day played out much the same as the day before. Once I put the groceries away and iced down a bucket of my drinks, I spent the day in the hammock, swinging gently while reading and drinking my precious gold soda, as I read the next trashy book. Sometimes, it was hard not to laugh at them, but other times, they just made me feel lonely.

I was getting to a really steamy part of the book I was reading, when I could feel his eyes on me, and I wondered what he needed. Everyone knew the forest ranger lived here, and I wondered if he needed a map of the trails or something. I tried to ignore him for a while longer, but he just kept looking at me. I finally got tired of his staring and looked up at him. "Can I help you with something?" I asked, trying not to sound too unfriendly.

He smiled at me and shook his head no. What the hell? I just nodded in response and went back to reading. I quickly deduced that the guy was just weird and not worth losing my place. I had to stay focused, or I wouldn't be done with it in time for the burning this evening. I never left the evidence around, proving that I was less than perfect in my parent's eyes. Again, what they didn't know wouldn't hurt me.

A dark-haired girl came out and yanked him away from his staring, dragging him past the cabins and down a path. I didn't know who she was, but my guess was a sister, because had it been a girlfriend, you would have thought sneaking off would have made him smile. It didn't, though, and he didn't seem happy to go with her. While they were gone, another car came up to their cabin. Two older, fancy-dressed people got out and headed straight inside. The woman came back out on the porch, turning in all directions, looking around disappointed. She looked like she was about to head back inside, when I got her attention.

"They went that way," I said pointing toward the trail the guy and girl had disappeared down.

"Excuse me?" the woman said, as the man joined her on the porch.

I looked up at them. "The couple staying in that cabin went that way," I said pointing again.

"Couple?" the woman asked.

"Remember, he said he was going to see if he could pull Alice away for a while," the man with her smiled.

"Do you think she came with him? I truly hope so; I don't want him to be dragging one of his cheap little tramps on our vacation," the woman complained, and I chuckled to myself, as the pair started down the path.

I went back to my book, losing myself in the tawdry smut-filled world that was way more interesting than my own.

I was completely engrossed in a particularly steamy passage, when a little while later, I heard the crazy chatter of the dark-haired girl, along with the older woman who was giggling.

"…And then she said 'get your own' to him! You should've seen his face, Mom. I don't think Edward has ever been turned down, and this girl was doing it left and right!"

I looked up to see the guy scowling. I wondered if he was Edward.

"Well, Son, it was bound to happen. Not everyone is crippled by the Cullen charm. How does it feel to be ignored?" the man asked patting Edward's back with a smirk. So they were brother and sister. I kind of liked that he hadn't brought a girlfriend. Not that it mattered. But at least now I could ogle him freely without feeling guilty. He might have been a man whore, but he was a pretty one after all.

"She wasn't ignoring me. I swear she was checking me out earlier!" Edward said defeated.

"Maybe I can check her out. Maybe she'd like my charm instead?" the girl winked, and the boy scowled, making me chuckle. I didn't swing that way, but it might be fun to mess with him a bit. And who knew, she might make a cool friend. Probably not, though she seemed to know how to keep him in line. I kept my eyes focused on my book, hoping that they thought I was laughing at something I had read.

I think it worked.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 – Release**

Later that night, the voice of the guy from the night before came back. I couldn't help but wonder, what was with him standing in the shadows? Was this creepy dude scared of the fire?

"Funny book?" the guy asked. I wasn't sure why, but I figured I was smiling, so maybe he assumed it was because of my reading. "The cover is rather interesting," he said.

Honestly, I hadn't bothered to glance at the cover of this book, when I had grabbed it this morning. I figured I would look at it before I chucked it into the fire and decide then if I should be annoyed with this talker.

"Would you like a drink?" he asked. I lifted my bottle to show him I was good and kept my eyes on my page, so I didn't lose my place. "So, do you work here?" he asked. This nattering Nelly was starting to get on my nerves.

"No, and it's rude to interrupt to someone while they're trying to read," I said getting annoyed with his constant chatter. Why was this guy not able to take a hint?

I heard a burst of giggles coming from across the way and looked up to see Alice and her mom laughing it up. I sat up, putting my book down and squinted into the shadows, terrified I'd just told off the hot guy from the cabin across the way.

"Sorry to interrupt you," he stumbled and moved away from the fire. I still couldn't see him, but he was moving in a different direction, not toward their cabin, so I was hopeful that it was not him, and I really had just told off a creepy guy like I was hoping.

Alice came over a little while later. "Hey, when you're done with that book, can I borrow it?"

I looked at her as if she was nuts. This wasn't good literature, but I guessed she probably didn't realize that. "Really?" I asked.

She let out a chuckle. "My name is Alice, what's yours?"

"Bella," I said. "I only have a few pages left. I usually burn my books when I'm done with them."

She rolled her eyes. "I know. I saw you chuck one into the fire yesterday. Do you mind holding off a day and letting me read it?" she asked.

I flipped the book over to see what was so interesting about this book and started laughing. There was a woman sprawled out on the cover, her hair conveniently covering her chest, and there was a man's head blocking the view between her thighs. "Nice," I said more to myself.

"Didn't you notice that before?"

"Nah, I have a stash of these. I just grab, read and then burn," I said plainly.

"That's…interesting," she said, obviously unsure of my sanity.

"I'm staying with my dad. I don't want him to come across any of my books. I don't think he'd appreciate his daughter reading this," I said holding up the book for her to see the cover.

She just started laughing. "Okay, I get it. So, can I borrow it? I'll bring it for burning tomorrow night."

I let out a sigh. "Yeah, I guess, I only have a couple of pages left, and then you can have it, but if someone asks you where you got it, you better not say it was me. I know where the rattlesnakes hang out."

She crossed her heart, and I sat back to finish my book. Once I was done, I passed it to her and put out the fire.

The next morning, I stretched out in the hammock to read my next nasty book. I looked at the cover this time. I was lucky Charlie hadn't noticed the cover of the last one, but I didn't want to push it. Maybe I should look into getting a book cover just to be safe. Charlie would have a heart attack if he saw what I had been reading.

"So, Alice is allowed to borrow your books but not me?"

I looked up to see Edward looking at me, as if he was trying to figure something out.

"Why would you want to borrow my book?" I asked.

He let out a huff, looking at me intently.

I was about to ask him what his problem was, when he confused me even more.

"What are your intentions with Alice?" he asked.

"My intentions?" I asked confused. He leaned against a neighboring tree and nodded. "I let her borrow a book, if you have a problem with that, take it up with her."

"Look, Bella…" I was surprised he knew my name, "I don't know what your game is, but don't mess with Alice; you don't have a chance."

I got up, completely annoyed. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"She isn't like that."

"Like what?"

"She's straight," he said firmly.

My eyes widened in shock. He thought I was hitting on his sister, because I had let her borrow my trashy book? My mouth opened and closed several times, trying to gather my thoughts. There were so many things I wanted to yell at him right then.

I ended up just hitting him with my book. "I'm straight, too, jackass!" I snapped. He stumbled a little, falling back into a tree trunk.

I held the cover of my current book up to his face. It wasn't as risqué as the last book had been, but it was just about as good. "See here? That's a man sucking on a woman's tits, while she gropes his cock. Or massive piece of manhood as described in this book. This is not girl-on-girl trash, you sicko!" I said pounding him up side of his head with my book. "I don't swing that way, I like cocks just fine, got it?" I growled before hitting him again and storming into my cabin, slamming the door.

I heard laughter outside, and I could tell it was Alice. I wondered if she had told her brother that I had hit on her or something, but I realized as I listened that this was not the case.

"I told you, you idiot. Just because she isn't falling all over you doesn't mean she's gay. Look at the dang book she let me borrow, Edward, if that isn't straight I don't know what is," she added cackling.

"Oh, shut it, Alice!" he snapped.

"Oh, honey, you've got it bad, don't you? That girl is driving you crazy. Have you tried just talking to her?" his mother asked.

"She yelled at me to go away, something about a snake," I heard him complain.

"So you turned on the Cullen charm?" his dad asked.

"Yeah, and she told me to go away," he griped.

I didn't remember telling him to go away.

His father chuckled. "Well, Son, it looks like you've finally met your match."

Did the hot guy like me? Nah, it wasn't possible. That just didn't make sense. I decided to climb up into the loft/bedroom and do my reading in private. The last thing I needed was for a camper to let my dad know I was reading trash.

I was getting to a particularly steamy chapter and needed to open the window to cool off a little. Okay, it might have just been the summer heat, and I didn't want to face Edward after my little shouting match about massive pieces of manhood, so I opened my window.

There was a little breeze, but not much. I was still hot, and since I was not going outside anytime soon to face them, I decided to make myself more comfortable. I stripped bare and just pulled out my little pj shorts that I usually slept in and put them on, and then decided to take off my minimizer bra to prevent chafing, which was a real problem, given the size of my danged boobs. Sometimes it sucked being so well-endowed, because the heat rashes I occasionally got under there hurt. I rolled up my sleeveless button-up shirt to just under my breasts and tied a knot and then buttoned two buttons, one on either side of the knot, to keep it in place. I lay back down on my makeshift bed and went back to reading.

See, the problem with reading these trashy smut-filled novels inside was now I was tempted to relieve my frustrations. That wasn't an issue outside, as everyone would be watching, and I wasn't into public displays of self-love. It was not that I had never taken care of business before, but it really was a bit depressing when I did, as it reminded all too painfully that I was alone, so I tried to avoid it at all cost. But after days of watching Edward and then reading these books, I was just all kinds of riled up. I tried to ignore it, but as I got further into the book, I found myself picturing Edward doing to me the things that were written. I was suddenly aching for releasing.

I glanced at the clock to be sure I had time. My dad wasn't expected back for another five hours, so I was good to go. I still glanced around nervously to make sure there was no one hiding in the cabin. Really, this was not something I wanted to be caught doing. Once I was sure it was all clear, I laid back and got to work. I couldn't help but picture Edward's hands on me, and so when I climaxed, sure enough, I called out his name.

I heard someone spitting something out just under my window and quickly sat up and looked to see what was going on. There stood Edward with a half-empty bottle, looking up at me with hooded eyes. I could see his chest moving, because he was breathing so hard, and then suddenly he was gone. I fell back against my bed, mortified that he might have heard. I was sure he had. I was so lost in my own thoughts, that I didn't realize that someone had come into the cabin. I startled when Edward's head popped into my loft. "Please tell me that guy's name is Edward," he said pointing to the book lying next to me.

I shook my head no, and next thing I knew, I was pinned underneath him. "It was me you were thinking about," he said in a rough voice, and I looked up at him ashamed, but nodded yes.

I really didn't expect what he did next. He kissed me, and when he did, he moaned, "God, you taste so damn good."

I knew Virgil's left a sweet taste on my lips, but I never imagined sharing it with anyone. He must not have been lying about my lips tasting good, because he kept licking and sucking them, until he made his way into my mouth. I wasn't sure what to do with him, and when his hands started to roam, I lost focus on any clear thoughts, completely at his mercy, just like the women in my books.

He groaned in between kisses, "Why did you act like you didn't want me?" he begged, but his tongue diving into my mouth kept me from answering. Honestly, I didn't have an answer; so really, it was not a problem that he kept me quiet. His hand made its way down into my shorts, squeezing my backside and lifting me up. Yup, I knew his rippling muscles were good for something. Then I felt it. You know, the manhood thing. He pressed it right between my legs, and since I had just serviced myself, my body was extra sensitive, and I could feel everything through the thin cotton of my sleep shorts. I couldn't stop the moan that left my lips, as he ground against me. I felt like I was being attacked by an octopus. His mouth never left mine, and one hand was firmly planted on my backside, while the other was frantically undoing my shirt. When he saw I wasn't wearing a bra, his demeanor changed. His grip tightened, and his mouth attacked my breasts. I had never had that done before, and my whole body seemed to arch into him.

"So good, I need to taste you," he said as he made his way down. He was literally lapping against my skin like a puppy. Apparently, he really liked the taste of my skin. I was a little distracted, so I was shocked when I felt his tongue on my hip. I didn't remember taking off my shorts. I knew he'd had his hand in them on my backside, but I could have sworn they were still on a few minutes ago.

"I need..." he panted between licks. I wasn't sure what he was doing. I had read about guys 'going down' on girls. I wasn't sure that would be something I would enjoy, but suddenly he was lapping at me, and I was thrashing and moaning, calling his name. This was _way_ better than my hand.

Sweat was dripping off of him, so he threw off his shirt and licked his way back up my chest. I figured since he was touching me, that it was okay for me to touch him, right? With his chest on display, I just had to touch it. My hands worked their way down his body, as he pressed open-mouthed kisses on my skin, causing me to pant and moan. I reached his beautiful abs and silently counted eight in my head. When I got to the bottom two, he growled.

"I need to take you…" he panted in my ear, begging almost.

I wasn't sure where he wanted to go, but I was pretty sure I would follow. "Where?" I asked.

He groaned and bucked. "Oh, Jesus," he answered, and then I realized at some point, he'd taken his pants off, and he was pressed up solid and naked against me, as he nibbled my flesh. His eyes were focused downward between us, so he didn't see my panic. I had never done anything like this before, so when he suddenly thrust into me hard, I felt like I was on fire. Damn, that hurt! I wanted to stop him and ask him to go back to what he had been doing before, because I didn't like this anymore. His face was buried in my neck, and he was grunting and groaning as he moved inside me at a punishing pace. I was breathing hard, trying to stem the pain. I hoped it would be over soon. This was totally unexpected and not how I thought I would lose my virginity.

He reached down in between us. "I need you to..." he panted, but didn't finish his sentence.

I felt him touching me between my legs above where we were still joined, and because my body was playing wanton hussy, it responded, ignoring the burning pain inside me and rising to his touch.

He grunted something about "so tight" and started lapping at my neck, mumbling something about "so good." It was hard for me to listen, when he was touching me like that. I felt my insides start to tighten and grip him, and it hurt even more than it felt good, and I cried out, but I didn't think he realized why.

He was grunting and moving faster, and then I felt something warm, as he jerked and pushed himself deeper and cursed above me.

My eyes widened. Holy crap, he'd just come inside me!

He collapsed on top of me, still nibbling my skin. "So good, so beautiful," he whispered, but I wasn't exactly sure what he was talking about. He just lay there crushing me, with my insides still burning. I closed my eyes and tried to control my breathing to get the pain to stop.

I felt him kissing my jaw and neck, before he finally went back to my lips. I opened my eyes, tears streaming down into my hair, but his were closed as he kissed me. He seemed to really be enjoying the taste of my lips.

Then we heard a phone ringing. He let out a groan and pulled back, his body slipping out of mine for the first time, causing me to groan in pain, but I didn't think he realized that was what it was. He grabbed his phone and frowned. "It's my mom. I should probably go check to see what she wants, before she comes looking for me," he said.

I just nodded, ready to have him leave. I was hurting so bad that I couldn't move, as I watched him dress. He leaned down and quickly kissed me again before he left, smiling distractedly before he hurried out of the cabin.

I must have dozed off, because I was startled by the slamming of car doors. "Edward, I've raised you better than this. Your mother and grandfather need you right now."

"But, Dad..."

"No, I don't care if you're only twenty-one, you need to be the man I raised you to be and support your family in their time of need!" his father shouted, his words seeming to echo off the mountains.

Edward sounded defeated. "Fine, but once we're sure he's okay, I'm coming back," Edward insisted firmly.

Little did I know that he would not be coming back.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 – Surprises**

Edward's grandfather must have taken a turn for the worst, or at least that was what I kept telling myself, because I didn't want to think about him getting distracted by some tramp, forgetting about coming back to see about me.

At the end of the summer, I packed up my things and kissed my dad goodbye. I couldn't stop from glancing longingly at the cabin that had remained vacant. They had rented it for the whole summer, and I guess they never asked for a refund. I kind of wished they had, so I wouldn't have held out hope that Edward would return.

The drive back to my mom's was long and lonely. I replayed the few moments Edward and I had spent together in my head, but then I stopped myself. I guessed it really didn't matter after all. What was done was done, so I made myself stop dwelling on it. There wasn't really anything I could do about it now, anyway.

My not really talking much at my mom's home was not a big deal. She was chatty enough, and Jessica was even more so. No one noticed my silent, depressed mood. My senior year of high school started, I turned eighteen, and my college acceptance letters came rolling in. My life was moving on, and I needed to accept that Edward had just been a summer fling. At least that was what I had been trying to do when I fainted in PE. I knew seniors usually didn't take that class, but I had been putting it off until the end, and it was required. I figured this way I would be a senior, so the underclassmen were less likely to laugh at me. Yeah, not so much.

I came to in the ambulance and looked around shocked. "What happened?" I asked.

The man in the back looked down at me. "You fainted. It's school policy to have you taken to the hospital and checked out. They want to be sure you don't have a heart problem."

I looked at him confused, but then I remembered hearing about kids collapsing and dying during basketball or football or something. "I was just in PE," I explained, "I wasn't playing a sport."

"It doesn't matter, honey, you need to be checked out."

I laid back in a huff. Other than a headache, I felt fine.

Once they had me settled in a room, a nurse came in, asking me a bunch of questions. "Are you sexually active?" she asked, and I wasn't sure how to answer that. Did I have sex once? Sure. Was I actively involved with a guy now? No.

She saw my unsure expression. "Are you a virgin, sweetie?" she asked. I shook my head no.

She smiled. "Okay, do you remember the last menstrual cycle you had?"

I really couldn't, but that was because I had always been irregular. "Um, maybe back in the spring? I'm always irregular," I said. There had been talk of regulating my cycle with birth control pills, but I had declined. I mean honestly, who would want to have their period more often? That was just nuts! I preferred my shoddy every-few-months ones to something regular and monthly. That would just suck.

"Okay, well, we're going to run a few tests on you to make sure you're okay, and then you can go home. I'm sure they already called your family to come get you."

I was not looking forward to this, but maybe I could work this to my advantage and get out of PE for good.

It was an hour later that my mother finally arrived, and my doctor returned with a grim look on his face. Maybe I did have a heart problem. "Isabella, I think I should talk to you alone for a minute, without your mother," he said.

I shook my head no, confused by his request. Why would he need to talk to me alone? He raised a surprised brow at me and then nodded okay. "Well, we got her test results back, and we found the reason why she fainted," he looked at me worried.

Oh, my god, was I dying?

"What we found is that she's seventeen weeks pregnant."

My mouth dropped open in shock. My mother was wearing the same expression as I was. I looked back and forth between the doctor and her, wondering if this was a sick joke. I'd only had sex once, and it wasn't even on purpose!

The doctor continued talking, and the nurse came in with a machine on a cart.

My mother was still in shock with me. "I don't believe she knew she was pregnant, Mrs. Dwyer. She seems genuinely surprised," he said motioning to me. "With her irregular periods and it being her first baby, she may not have shown any signs of pregnancy before now."

I looked down at my stomach. I mean, I looked a little bloated, but that was it. I looked back up at him and shook my head no, still stunned. "You mixed it up…I'm not…that isn't..." I said pointing to his chart. He stood up and patted Renee's shoulder, giving her a knowing look.

My mother had tears running down her face. "It's okay, honey," she said hugging me.

"I'm not, Mom. It has to be wrong," I said. "Make them do it again. I'll take the test again," I said offering up my arm.

The doctor just moved his machine to the bedside. "Isabella, this is an ultrasound machine. This will let us all know for sure, okay? Why don't you lie back now, and let me have a look?" he said calmly.

I was sure he was going to prove himself wrong, so I lay down and gripped my mom's hand. "It can't be right," I reassured her, but she only smiled sadly at me.

The little body that filled the screen was shocking. I kept looking from the screen to my stomach. Now that I was lying back, there was a lump there, but I hadn't noticed it before. I mean my clothes all still fit!

I was in a state of shock, as the doctor continued to talk. "The baby is healthy and has a strong heartbeat. All of the organs look well formed. Would you like to know the sex?"

My mother said yes, but the doctor looked at me expectantly. I looked up at my mother, who was still nodding yes, and I just nodded with her, still in shock. "You're having a boy," he said smiling.

"I'm going to write you up a doctor's note; you shouldn't be in PE anymore. I'm sure they can find something more suitable for you. You're due February 14th," he continued talking. I zoned out after that. I wasn't going to be able to finish school. My plans for college were all shot to hell. I finally lost it and burst into tears.

I missed the next day of school, which was a Friday. My mother stayed home with me. I hadn't spoken since I realized my life was over. I just sat on my bed, still in shock. By Sunday, she came in with a tray of food and a stack of papers.

"Bella," she said softly as I nibbled my sandwich, "I've been looking into schools and stuff. I think you can still graduate on time."

My eyes snapped to hers surprised.

"There are some online high schools that are accredited and highly prestigious. I talked with Phil and Charlie, and they both agreed that it would be a good idea. You can finish out your senior year at home, before the baby is born, because you can work as fast or as slow as you want. This way, you can take it easy and prepare for the baby."

I looked down at my stomach again. I still didn't really believe he was there. There was a baby there growing inside of me.

She pushed a stack of online high school pamphlets at me and then cleared her throat.

"We haven't really discussed what you wanted to do with the baby. I wasn't sure what you had in mind, but I thought I'd pick up a few pamphlets on that as well. You know we'll support you in whatever decision you make."

I glanced at the pictures on the Planned Parenthood pamphlets and burst into tears. I had no idea what I was going to do with a kid.

My mother enrolled me in an online school, and I threw myself into my work, ignoring my growing stomach. My mother reduced her hours and started hanging around more. Finally, weeks later, she sat down on my bed and looked at me nervously.

"Honey, have you decided what you're going to do with the baby?"

I shook my head no.

"Alright, but if you want to give the baby up for adoption, we need to notify the father. Do you know who the father is?" she asked.

My eyes widened. I did, but then again, I didn't. I guess my decision was made. I was keeping the baby. I swallowed hard. "Can I keep it?" I asked.

She looked at me worried for a moment. "Yes, okay, yeah," she bit her lip and looked around my room. "I guess so; we could fit his crib over there," she said pointing across my room. It wasn't big, but neither were babies, right?

Over the next few weeks, my room was filled with baby things. I was wrong, babies were little, but their stuff was big! Of course, when I reached my last month, I was sure my baby was huge as well. I felt like a house, a big miserable house.

Little Charles Philip Swan was born on his due date. I knew that was rare, but it happened. He was born on Valentine's Day, weighing seven pounds three ounces. He had a little tuft of reddish peach fuzz on his head, and I realized he would probably take after his father. I grimaced a little. I didn't want to think of Edward or how he had gotten me into this mess. I needed to focus on the future, and that was just what I did.

It took a while but, little Charlie and I got into the swing of things. I wasn't sure what kind of mom I would be, but it was hard not to love my son. He was so tiny and adorable, and he needed me. He would snuggle and grunt as he ate, and as soon as he could, he would reach for me. He was impossible not to love.

I completed most of my studies online, but there were a few classes I had to go in for, and so my mother would watch my son on those days. I graduated college four and a half years later, with my son on my hip. I graduated on an off semester, so the group of us was small.

My son had been growing so fast, and I was trying to keep from falling apart, when I realized he would already be going to school next year. My parents didn't ask who his father was, but I knew if Edward ever showed his face again, they would know immediately. Little Charlie looked just exactly like his daddy, reddish hair, green eyes and all.

"Bella," my mother called me out of my musings, "Why don't we go somewhere to celebrate?" she suggested. "You guys deserve a vacation, how about the beach in Florida? Phil's mom has a place out there we could visit."

I scrunched up my nose. "Phil's mom?" I knew for a fact that she didn't like my mom or me. I didn't want her to get a chance to not like little Charlie.

"She's not going to be there, honey. She's going on vacation and needs someone to look after her place. We can have it for two weeks, baby, witch free!" she squealed.

I laughed. "Alright," I conceded.

"Good, because I already bought the tickets," she said dancing down the hall excited.

I guess it wouldn't be a bad thing to get away.

I spent most of the day on the beach making sandcastles with Charlie. His birthday was coming up, and we would be going to Disneyworld for a few days to celebrate. Phil seemed just as excited as little Charlie to take him. I couldn't blame him, and it was just adorable to see the pair of them running around the place like mad. I had often wondered if my son would need his dad, but I could tell he would be alright. Between Phil and Grandpa Charlie, I knew my son would be fine. We didn't need Edward. I knew at this point that he would only complicate things.

When we got home that night, little Charlie went straight to bed, completely exhausted. I couldn't help but smile, as I walked out the back door and onto the beach with my Virgil's in hand. I stretched out, looking across the ocean and took a moment to myself to just relax.

Unfortunately, my quiet night was interrupted by the noisy neighbors. "Hey, get back here!" a girl yelled. "I've had enough of you stringing me along. This was supposed to be a romantic weekend. Everyone is expecting you to propose to me!" she shouted at the man.

"Well, that's your own damn fault, Tanya! I haven't been stringing you along anywhere! You know I was fucking your sisters as well as you and your friends. You were no more than a fuck, and you know it. I came this weekend, because I expected to get a wild release, not an engagement!"

"Damn it! You've got to settle down! You're going on twenty-six, Edward. You can't be a bachelor forever!"

When I heard her call his name, I sat up shocked. I looked over at the quarreling pair and panicked. My eyes had adjusted in the waning light, and my chest tightened. What were the chances that after years of absence, I just happened to land on the same beach as my baby's father? My eyes focused on the fighting pair, ignoring the words they spewed in anger. The woman stormed off into the house, slamming the door, leaving the man there alone.

He stood there silently, facing the beach for a while, before he sat down, letting out a huff. I was afraid to move, not wanting him to notice me. What if he remembered me? What if he didn't? I didn't want to know if he did or not, I just wanted to get away.

He stood up suddenly and dusted off his shorts. He glanced up the beach and then down to where I was sitting. He smiled at me and headed in my direction. I was frozen in fear. I had to get the hell out of there!

"Hi, I'm Edward. You look familiar. Mind if I join you for a drink?" he asked motioning to my cooler of Virgil's. I just stared, because I didn't have the guts to speak and tell him no. He grabbed himself a bottle and looked at it in confusion, and then he let out a laugh. "Great." He twisted off the lid annoyed and chugged half of the bottle down. "Do you know where I can get anything stronger?"

I shook my head no, because I didn't. I wasn't familiar with the area.

"Mommy!" I heard my son call. I knew it was too good to be true for him to sleep through the night.

Edward looked at me confused, and then to my hand, where my college class ring sat. I guess in the dark, it looked like a wedding ring. "Sorry for bothering you," he said with a pout and walked off.

I jumped up and ran inside to the bathroom, throwing up my dinner. I had to find a way to get my mom to let me go home early. From what I had heard from their fight, Edward was still a player. I knew then that nothing good could come from him, he was nothing, and he probably never would be, nor would he remember me. I needed to get away. I didn't want to have anything to do with him. My son was a good boy. I wouldn't let him grow up to be a creep like his father.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 – Small World**

It was four years later, when I saw Edward again. I was going to an interview in Chicago. I didn't want to consider moving so far away from my family, but my mom said it would be good to spread my wings, not to mention the job market was slow in Phoenix. I figured it wouldn't hurt to get away from my loser ex-boyfriend, James, either. Yeah, he was cheating on me with his "sister." Turned out she wasn't his sister, and it was supposedly my fault he had cheated, because I didn't put out. All I could say was goodbye and good riddance.

I wasn't sure it was Edward I had spotted, as he made his way across the building's ground floor. I wouldn't know for sure until later. He was walking toward the elevators, as I made my way to the receptionist desk to get directions.

I was being interviewed by a Mr. Whitlock and quickly made my way to the waiting room outside his office. His secretary showed me in with a sneer, and I smiled and sat down nervously.

"Ms. Swan, thank you for coming all this way to see me. I've looked over your resume, and from our phone interviews, I really think you'd be a good fit. I just wanted to have you come out, so we could show you what we had to offer you."

I nodded okay, and he smiled. I spent the rest of the day being shown around the office building. I was also informed they had several others in other cities, but this was their main campus. I was surprised to see three floors of this building were a YMCA.

"We wanted to be sure the children of our workers were looked after. The less they worry about their family, the better they do at work for us," he said smiling.

"I'm sure my son would love that."

"I saw you have a dependent, how old is your son?" Mr. Whitlock asked.

"He'll be nine in February."

"Really? My wife and I have a son that's seven; he'll be eight in February."

"Does he go here?" I asked motioning to the YMCA.

"Yes, he does, along with our other son who is five. Our little girl, who is three, stays with her mom most the day, and then she joins them in the afternoon for preschool."

"Oh, that's nice," I said, and he whipped out his wallet to show me pictures of his kids. I oohed and awed at his children, and then I showed him a picture of Charlie. His eyes widened, and he looked between the picture and me several times and then cleared his throat.

"So, your resume says you're from Arizona?"

"Yes, born and raised," I said proudly.

He seemed to let out a breath and nodded his head as if distracted by something. "Good, that's good. So, would you be interested in joining the Masen team?"

"Yes, I think I would," I said smiling. It really was a too-good-to-be-true offer.

I received their formal offer in the mail at home a week later. When my mother looked over the benefits and pay, she literally squealed. "Oh, my stars, Bella, you have to take this!"

She was right, I had to take it, and so I did.

A month later, I was setting up our new apartment and getting ready for my first day at my new job. My father had sent me a mini-fridge for my office as a congratulatory gift. Yes, I actually had my own office, and of course I stocked it with Virgil's vanilla cream soda. It was still my weakness.

My first day was going good, but I had to admit, my assistant was a bitch. Her name was Rosalie McCarty, and she was driving me up the damn wall. By lunchtime, I'd had it with her, so I just kicked my shoes off and popped the lid off a Virgil's and did my best to forget her.

She came stomping in and stopped in shock, when she saw the bottle in my hand. "OH, MY GOD!" she said and ran out. I wasn't sure what her problem was, but then I heard her ranting, as she approached my door. "I will not work for a drunk. Emmett will have your head!" she shouted and stormed into my office with her arms crossed. I rolled my eyes, but stopped mid-roll, when none other than Edward came strolling in. He looked at the bottle in my hand and then to my nameplate. His brow scrunched, as if he was trying to figure something out.

"Edward!" Rosalie shouted snapping him out of his thoughts, and he looked up at my face.

"Um, Ms. Swan?" he said nervously, but I had figured it out. They thought I was drinking.

I stood up and handed him my bottle of cream soda, and then I opened my mini-fridge, showing him my stash and my lunch. He seemed to let out a sigh of relief. "Rosalie, this is cream soda, vanilla cream, actually, and I have to say, it's my favorite kind. I don't know what you have against working for Ms. Swan, but I'm getting tired of hearing your complaints. I hired you as a favor to my cousin, but I think I'm going to have to let you go."

"What?" she shrieked. "This is ridiculous! First you have me working with handsy Mike, and then a drunken chick! It isn't my fault your brother-in-law is completely inept in the hiring process!"

"She's not drinking! Look at the damn bottle, Rose, you're just being a bitch, now get your stuff and get out!"

I watched the pair glare at each other for a moment, and then Rose stormed off. Edward let out a frustrated sigh and shook his head, before he focused on me. However, I was ready for him to leave. I didn't want to risk him recognizing me. It had been nearly a decade, though, so I doubted he would.

"You look familiar," he said squinting his eyes at me. "Have you been to any of the executive meetings?" he asked. I shook my head no. "Do you mind if I have a bottle?" he asked moving to the mini-fridge. "I was down in Florida a while back, and I had my first one. I have to admit, I wanted something stronger at the time, but I did end up a little addicted to this stuff."

A smile spread across my face. "I know what you mean," I finally spoke.

"I'm sorry about Rose. I'll see about getting you another assistant by the end of the week. Someone less bitchy," he said with a wink and disappeared.

That evening, when I went to pick up Charlie from the YMCA, he was jumping around wildly with two other boys. I stood back smiling and watched them for a few minutes. Mr. Whitlock startled me out of my thoughts. "It looks like our boys hit it off. Those are my boys, Jackson and Joshua." I looked up at him smiling. He had his daughter on his hip. "This is little Adeline."

I reached my hand out to Adeline. "Nice to meet you, Ms. Adeline," I said smiling.

"Look, I know it's short notice, and you most likely have other plans, but would you mind joining us at the house for dinner? I'm sure my wife would love to meet you, and…well, my boys seem to really be taken with your boy."

They must have overheard the offer, because I was suddenly accosted with a chorus of little boys begging me to say yes. I just smiled. "Alright, sounds good," I said laughing, and Mr. Whitlock gave me directions to his home.

When I drove up, the front door flew open to their large home, and the boys came flying out. Charlie jumped out and ran after them. They disappeared around the back of the house, before I could even call after him. It was then I heard laughing at the front door. A small dark-haired woman was smiling. "Welcome, Ms. Swan. It's so nice to meet you. I'm glad the boys have a friend to look after them."

"Oh, yeah, well, thank you for having us," I said.

"You can call me Allie. So, where are you from originally?" she asked.

"We're from Arizona."

"Wow, that's far, how does your son's father handle the distance?" she asked concerned.

"He's not involved," was all I said. Then she went off on a tangent, talking about work and fashion design. Apparently, she had started off as an intern in New York and had worked her fingers to the bone.

When Charlie came into the house with his friends, she seemed to stop mid-sentence. Mr. Whitlock just laughed. "I know, right? If he didn't come from the other side of the continent..." he trailed off, and Allie smiled at him and shook her head. I didn't know what their deal was, but they seemed to quickly change the subject.

We were sitting down to dinner, when we all heard the front door open. "Allie!" I heard someone call.

Their three kids jumped up, yelling, "UNCLE EDWARD!" and ran out of the room.

I heard a bunch of thumping and laughing, and low and behold, Edward came into the room with three children hanging off various parts of his body. "I've been attacked by monkeys!" he shouted as he reached to tickle the kids, and my heart broke a little. He seemed to be so good with kids, yet he didn't know he had a son of his own.

Mr. Whitlock stood up and helped pull the kids safely off of Edward. "Jasper, thanks for the help. I was just stopping by to ask you to hire a new assistant for Ms. Swan. Rose wasn't working out for her."

"I don't think that's a surprise," he said chuckling. "Ms. Swan is joining us for dinner. Would you like to join us as well?"

Edward looked over at me for the first time, a little surprised. His eyes darted to the chair next to me where my son sat. "Her son, Charlie, has made fast friends with Jackson and Joshua," he went on, but when Edward heard Charlie's name, his brow furrowed, and when his eyes landed on my son, his mouth dropped open.

"Is this some sort of joke?" he asked, and he glared at his sister, who I now recognized as Alice. Freakin' small world wasn't it.

They both looked at him confused, as he glared at me. "Where did you get that kid?" he pointed at me.

My son narrowed his eyes at his father and snapped. "What's your problem?"

He laughed humorlessly and shook his head. "Jackson, take your friend upstairs, I need to have a talk with the grownups," he said, but I wasn't ready for a confrontation.

"No, it's fine. I can see we're not welcome. We'll just go," I said grabbing my son and hurrying toward the door.

Edward grabbed my shoulder. "I don't know who put you up to this..." he started, but I yanked out of his grip.

"Keep your hands off me," I snapped.

Charlie stomped on his foot. "You leave my mom alone!"

"What the hell is going on?" Alice shouted, blocking my escape.

"You!" Edward pointed at her, "Did you do this? Did you get this woman to come here with that kid all looking like me and then tell her to call him Charles Swan?"

"What are you talking about, Edward?" she asked confused.

"Charles Swan?" he said in a duh voice. "That was the name of the forest ranger in Arizona. I was looking for his daughter for years, but he never said a word. Next thing I know, she's going to say her name is Bella!"

Mr. Whitlock choked on his drink, catching Edward's attention. "What's her name, Jasper?"

He cleared his throat. "Isabella."

"Mom?" Charlie looked up at me sadly.

"I think it's time we go," I said firmly pulling Charlie toward the door.

"You're not her," Edward said stopping me. "I know you're not! How could you be so cruel?" he asked upset, and I burst into tears.

"Enough!" Alice shouted. "I don't know what the hell is going on here, but no one is leaving until we get this settled."

I was surprised when Jasper wrapped his arm around my shoulder and told my son to go play. He led us into a small study and closed the door, hopefully to keep the kids from hearing the potential fight. I wasn't sure what was about to happen, but my heart was racing, and my fight or flight instinct was telling me to grab my child and run.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5 – The Truth of It All**

We had barely gotten inside the study, when I was shocked by Edward yanking my purse out of my hands, and he started going through it madly. He was cursing when he came to my wallet, looking at my license that was still my Arizona one. He collapsed to the floor, when he found a picture of my dad, my son and me at the cabin.

"You were gone," he said defeated. "I couldn't find you."

"What's going on?" Alice asked, but when she looked at the picture, her mouth dropped open in shock. Her eyes flicked back to me and the picture several times. "You're her? You're Bella?" she asked. I nodded my head yes. "Where have you been?" she asked me.

I shrugged. "I had school, and then when I found out about Charlie, I…well, I was too busy to go back to the cabin much."

Edward swallowed hard. "Who…" he stuttered, "Who is his father?" he asked.

I bit my lip, not wanting to answer, and he squeezed his eyes shut and punched the desk. "Why didn't you tell me?" he shouted at me. "Why didn't you find me?"

"I didn't know you! I barely figured out that your name was Edward! You came into our cabin and practically attacked me, and then you were gone! I didn't even know I was pregnant until I fainted in PE class!"

"PE class?" he asked confused. He looked down at my license again, and his face scrunched up. "How old are you? I mean, were you?"

"Seventeen," I said cringing from his reaction.

"That can't be right! You were drinking. I saw you buy a case of beer and…" He stopped in mid-sentence, and his eyes landed on me. "Virgil's...you were drinking Virgil's soda." He sat down rubbing his face. "Oh, my god."

"What?" Jasper asked.

"I freaking nailed a little girl and got her pregnant!" he shouted pointing at me. He turned and punched the wall.

"I think I should go," I said timidly.

"No! You're staying!" he shouted at me. "So, did you know? I mean, when you took the job, it was to find me, right? What the hell do you want now?"

I cringed and shook my head no.

"Edward, I think you need to calm down a little. From what I understand, Ms. Swan was very hesitant to take the job."

"And why is that? Were you growing a conscience?" Edward sneered.

I was crying angry tears. "NO!" I shouted. "I'm a single mother, and my only family is in Arizona! They've helped me a lot over the years, and I didn't want to leave them!"

Edward was about to respond, but Alice stepped in front of him. "Edward, you have to settle down, you need to settle down and get along with his mother, if you want a relationship with your son!"

"Relationship? Fuck that, I'm taking him, and she's not getting a dime! He's mine! Once I'm done, she'll be lucky to ever see him again!" he shouted.

I absolutely snapped. Next thing I knew, I was across the desk, punching the bastard as hard as I could. "You will not touch my son, you sorry manwhore! You will keep your filthy sick hands away from him and not breathe a word of who you are to him! I don't want a dime from you! I don't want a thing! I just want you to stay the hell away from us!" I said as I pounded on his chest. "You can take all your money and go right straight to hell!"

I felt myself being lifted off of him, and I realized Jasper was restraining me. Alice was restraining Edward, but I had a feeling he could have gotten away from her if he had wanted. He stood there shocked, just staring at me and breathing hard.

"Edward," Alice said softly, "You can't take her baby away from her. Just think what it would do to me, to all of us, if someone took one of my kids."

He looked down at his sister. His brow furrowed, and then he dropped his head to her shoulder, sobbing loudly. He hugged her tightly, and I saw tears running down his face.

"You can't take her baby, Edward, but maybe if you settle down, you can meet him," she said softly, and then she looked over at me hopefully.

I grimaced and then looked away. "You can't have him," I looked up to meet his eyes, "But you can meet him. If he doesn't want to talk to you, I'm not going to force him."

He nodded okay, and Jasper released me and slipped out the door. He called Charlie down, as Edward straightened his clothes.

"Yes, Mr. Whitlock?" I heard my son ask nervously.

"I want you to meet someone, Charlie. Do you mind coming into the study with your mother?"

The door opened, and Charlie made his way to my side, holding on to me nervously.

"Charlie, this is my brother, Edward. He wanted to meet you," Alice said smiling.

He just nodded in response, and Edward moved closer to us slowly, watching me to be sure I was okay with it. It was a good thing, too. One wrong move and I would have taken that bastard down.

"It's nice to meet you, Charlie," Edward said offering his hand to him. Charlie just looked at it and then squeezed me tighter.

"He doesn't want to talk to you," I said firmly.

"Bella, please," Edward begged, "You haven't even given me a chance."

"Maybe another time, when emotions aren't running so high," Jasper suggested.

I nodded. "Yes, that's a good idea," I said just wanting to get the hell out of there.

I almost felt bad for Edward when he pouted.

"How about the game!" Alice suggested. "Does Charlie like baseball?" she asked excitedly.

I think they all noticed how Charlie's timid eyes lit up a little. There was no way I could fake that he didn't like it.

"Good, then it's settled," she said. "Edward will take you two to the game this weekend. Jasper, you'll be sure to get her the details at work."

Of course, they all agreed, and we hurried home. I could tell Charlie had a ton of questions, but I wasn't ready to answer any of them. Once he was in bed, I started looking for a new job. I had to get away, before Edward decided he wanted to try and take my son. I wouldn't stand for it. Unfortunately, there was nothing really out there, and the job market in Phoenix was still dead. I didn't know what I was going to do.

I was thankful that Edward stayed away from my office for the rest of the week, but just as promised, Jasper brought the tickets and directions by to my office. He also told me that my new assistant, Angela, would be starting on Monday. I thanked him, and he headed for the door. He was just about to leave, when he stopped.

"Alice told me a little about you. I guess Edward was really smitten with you, when he saw you at that camp in Arizona. It really messed him up, when he had to leave you behind because Grandpa Masen had had a heart attack. The old guy died two days later, and then his wife, Edward's grandmother, fell ill. She died the following week. His family was a mess, and Edward was stuck in the thick of it, because his grandfather had left Masen, Inc. to him. It was contested, but his mother insisted he fight for it.

"It was nearly a year later before it was finally out of probate, and Edward was deemed president of the company. He was only twenty-three when he took over. From what I understand, he tried to find you, but your dad didn't know who he was, and he refused to give your information out to him. He told him to stay the hell away from his baby girl.

"Then some chick named Jane came out of the woodwork, claiming she'd had his kid. The child was freaking Chinese, and Jane was Caucasian! Needless to say, after a paternity test and a fight, he got rid of her. He made sure the father got custody of that kid. He threw himself into work after that, and I guess he figured he'd lost you."

I didn't know what he wanted me to say to that. I was a little surprised that Edward had looked for me, but it didn't matter. He hadn't looked hard enough. "I'm sorry, I don't know what you want me to say. My main concern is Charlie now. I don't want Edward confusing him or scaring him. If he wants a paternity test, I'm fine with that, but I will not let him have him. He's my son, and I'm the only parent he's ever known. I don't want anything from Edward, Mr. Whitlock. I really didn't know he worked here. I'm looking for another job so we won't disturb him."

"What? NO! Look, Isabella, I hired you because you were talented. You can't leave!" he protested.

I sat down and covered my face. "He can't have my son," I said softly. "I won't let him take him from me."

He pulled up the chair in my office and sat down. "Bella, I don't think he truly wants to take him. He just wants to get to know him. He isn't going to fight you for him; just give him a chance. He isn't as bad as you think."

Jasper could say what he wanted, but the fact remained that Edward had threatened to take my son, which left me extremely wary of him. That Saturday morning, I dressed nervously. I had continued looking for a new job, but I'd still had no luck. The doorbell rang, and I heard Charlie running to answer it.

"Charlie, wait!" I shouted running down the hall after him, but he had opened the door already. Edward stood there nervously.

"Not going to let me in, huh?" Edward asked almost teasing.

I ignored him. "Charlie, you know you're not supposed to answer the door alone."

"Sorry, Mom, but I knew it was Mr. Cullen. I saw him through the window, and we were expecting him," he defended.

"Fine, but I don't want you opening it otherwise, understand? I don't want you getting kidnapped," I said kissing his head.

"I know, Mom, no answering the door or the phone and always stay close by," he recited with an eye roll.

"Not the phone?" Edward questioned.

"Yes, if I'm in the shower or something, he's not to answer the phone; it might be someone trying to see if he's alone, so they can take him," I explained. His brow furrowed. "Edward, are you ready to go or not?" I asked annoyed. I would not stand for him questioning my parenting.

"Um, yeah, I'm parked down front, I got a booster seat, but I'm not sure if he needs it," he offered.

"Thank you, he does until his birthday. Then he'll be old enough to go without one."

Edward looked at me nervously. "When is his birthday?" he asked.

"February 14th," I answered.

His brow furrowed for a moment, and then he nodded in acceptance. Charlie's birthday was only a month away. Once Charlie was in his seat, Edward stopped me at my door. "I looked into it. I mean him. I even talked to a doctor. I told him when we had gotten together, and he told me that would've likely been your due date."

"What if he wasn't born on his due date? Would you have questioned me then?" I asked.

He shook his head no. "I still think I want a paternity test. Jasper said you were okay with that?"

"Yes, that's fine," I said coolly.

"Look, Bella, I'm really sorry about leaving you like that."

"I was a virgin," I blurted out.

He stood shocked for a moment. "You what?"

"I was a virgin, Edward. I'd never had anyone do that to me before. I was in shock during it."

"What…you…are you saying you didn't want to?" he asked getting a little upset, "Because from what I remember…"

"Edward, I get where it went wrong; you asked if you could take me, and at the time, I was naive and thought you actually wanted to get up and take me somewhere outside."

His eyes closed, "Where…you said where. Oh, god. I thought it was crazy and awesome that you were open to me taking you anywhere I wanted. I didn't realize…"

I cut him off. "That you were hurting me? That I was trying to get you to stop?"

"But you…" he cleared his throat.

I closed my eyes. "I don't blame you, Edward. It was just as much my fault. I was stupid and naïve then and I should've stopped you when you started kissing me, but I didn't. You were right. I did like you, but I didn't really know you, or what you were about to do to me."

"Shit, Bella, this is so messed up."

"I let it go a long time ago, Edward. Sex is just not something my body was made for."

His face screwed up confused. "Not made for…?"

"Can we just drop this and go?" I asked, and Charlie pounded on the window, motioning for us to get in the car already.

Once we were in the car, he looked over at me. "We need to talk, another time, but we do," Edward said. I agreed, but I wasn't particularly looking forward to it.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6 – Progress**

Once we were on our way, Edward started talking to Charlie about baseball. They seemed to really hit it off, but I worried that Edward was trying too hard. I noticed the car he was driving was new. When he dropped us off that evening, I asked him when he'd gotten it.

"Yesterday," he said sheepishly. "I didn't really own a family-friendly car."

"What happened to the SUV you drove in Arizona?" I asked.

"It was a rental. Should I get one of those?" he asked worried. "What do you drive?"

I laughed and shook my head. "You're fine, Edward, drive whatever you want. As long as it has a back seat for Charlie, you should be fine."

He let out a relieved sigh. "So, um, do you think I could see him again?"

"Do you want to?" I asked.

He nodded his head yes.

I took a deep breath, trying to gain some courage. "Alright, why don't you come up to our apartment? Once I get him to bed, we can discuss it."

His face lit up as he followed me. He offered to read Charlie a bedtime story, but Charlie declined, pulling out his chapter book smirking. "I can read to myself," he said, and I shut his door.

Edward sat nervously on my couch. "Want a drink?" I offered.

He nodded yes and chuckled when I brought him a vanilla cream soda. "Well, at least you've learned to share," he said with a smile.

I rolled my eyes.

We drank our sodas in silence, and he finally spoke. "I, um, there's a clinic on the fifth floor that can do the test on Monday."

That seemed awfully fast, but if I hesitated, he might think I was trying to hide something. "I don't want him missing school, but I can get him when he's at the YMCA and take him up for the test," I offered.

He nodded in agreement. He was quiet again. "I didn't know," he suddenly said. "I mean, not only that you were a virgin, but about Charlie." He closed his eyes frustrated. "You seemed so mature. I mean, you were reading those books, and then when I heard you...Jesus, Bella, I thought you were older. I thought you were at least twenty-one and knew what you were doing. I didn't know you were just a kid."

"It's okay, Edward."

"No, it's not! I hope you know I wouldn't have…I mean, if I'd known how young you were or…fuck."

"Edward, I get it, I understand. What's done is done, so it's time to move forward."

We were quiet again, before he spoke up. "I looked for you. I guess your dad didn't know I was the father, or he probably would've done more than yell at me."

"I didn't tell anyone. I didn't really know who you were, and I felt ashamed for being so stupid and vulnerable."

He scooted forward and brushed my hair back from my face. "I'm sorry. I really am."

I could see he was sincere. The feeling in the room suddenly changed, and then his lips were on mine.

"Damn, you still taste so good," he mumbled against my lips. My body seemed to remember him and what his lips could do, and it seemed to light right up at his touch.

I pulled back panting and blushed. I jumped up off the couch and moved away from him, trying to gain some control of myself. "I think you should go. I'll see you on Monday at the clinic," I said quickly, so he knew I wasn't trying to push him away from his son, just from me.

He pouted, but then he nodded in acceptance.

I didn't know what the hell I was doing, but I had to figure it out and fast.

Monday came too soon for me, and next thing I knew, I was waiting for the YMCA bus to arrive from picking my son up from school. I smiled, when I saw him laughing with Jackson. When he saw me waiting there, he came over.

"Hey, Mom, can I spend the night at Jackson's house this weekend? You already met his mom," he begged. Charlie was joined by Jackson and Joshua, all of whom were wearing pouting faces, begging for my acquiescence.

"I'll talk to their mom about it, and we'll see."

"Yes!" the group of boys cheered. I was surprised by the chuckling behind me.

Edward was smiling at the wild display. Charlie was about to run off, when I called him back to me. "Honey, we're going to go to the clinic with Edward really quick."

He looked up at Edward and then nodded okay. He'd had a good time on Saturday with him, but I think he could tell I was still nervous around him.

We were quiet. Edward did all the talking and then had a courier come and get the samples. He explained that this way, we would get the results back tomorrow as opposed to two weeks from now. I really didn't care. I knew he was Charlie's father. I had never been with anyone else. I had realized very quickly that sex was very overrated and was not something I wanted to do again.

I didn't see Edward again until late Tuesday night. He stood nervously at my door holding a paper. "I got the results back." I just nodded in response. "Do you want to see them?" he asked trying to hand them to me. I just shook my head no. "So anyway, you were right, he's mine." I just nodded yes. I knew it all along. "Can I come in?" he asked a little worried, and I finally stepped back and invited him in. "I just wanted to be sure, Bella. I mean, I didn't want to get mine and his hopes up or something and end up being wrong."

"I know," I said simply.

He let out a huff.

"So, can I see him? I mean, like a dad, or is there someone else that's, um…"

"There's no one else. Just his grandpas, but he doesn't have a dad, Edward, if that's what you're asking."

He smiled and nodded yes. "Do you think he'd be open to having one?" he asked nervously.

I shrugged. "Are you going to be a good role model? I know your history, Edward." He looked at me confused. "I was the girl on the beach when you got into a fight with that woman. You were shouting about fucking her and her friends and her sisters."

He groaned and fell back into the couch. "Look, I can explain. I know that looked bad. Okay, it didn't just look bad, it was bad, and I have been a bit of a manwhore, but I've slowed down in my old age."

"Really? When was the last time you were with a woman?"

He screwed up his face. "How about you? When was the last time you had sex?"

I rolled my eyes. "Nearly ten years ago, and I'll give you one guess as to who that was with."

He looked at me confused. "You mean you haven't, you never, you know…?"

"No, Edward, I didn't really enjoy it, it hurt really bad, so why would I do it again?"

He looked like I'd slapped him, and he paled. "I'm sorry. I…um…"

"So, when, Edward? When were you last with a woman in a biblical sense?" I asked getting annoyed.

"Three weeks ago."

I started laughing.

"What? That's a pretty long time. I mean, once I found out about Charlie, I've been pretty much celibate and canceled all the dates I had."

"Dates? As in multiple? Were these with the same girl or all different ones?"

His face screwed up, not wanting to answer, but I already had my answer.

"Edward, I'm raising my son to respect women and be a decent, moral man. Women are not playthings to be thrown around as you please and then left behind."

"Hey, I didn't leave, I looked for you."

"Edward…"

"No, you were different, you were driving me crazy. I just couldn't get through to you, and then I heard you, and I had to have you. I planned on spending the rest of the summer with you. I wanted to see you again. That's never happened before, Bella."

I sat down. "Edward," I spoke softly, "I need you to be different than you are now. I need you to not be flirty and parade sluts around in front of our son. I want him to be raised as a gentleman and to respect women, not use them. I want him to find real love someday, to be able to recognize it and to be ready for it. You can understand that, right?" I pleaded.

He nodded his head yes. "You're right. You've done well with him so far. He's a good kid, Bella."

"Thank you. So, are you ready to settle down and be his father?"

"So, like, no sex at all?" he asked.

My chest ached a little. I didn't like that he was asking me if he could have sex with other women. "Edward, you just have to be very discreet and make sure he doesn't see it, please. I don't want you talking to him about it, either, unless he asks you something, and then I want you to give him the clinical answer and encourage him to wait until he's married."

"Really?"

"Yes, really!" I snapped. "I should've waited, but I didn't, and look at the mess my life has been. He deserves better than that, Edward. He deserves to have a wife that loves him and wants a family. He shouldn't have to be alone."

"You don't have to be alone, Bella."

I laughed darkly. "There aren't a lot of good guys willing to date a woman with a kid. I'm not willing to settle. I'm not that lonely, Edward."

"Would you be open to dating me?" he asked.

I burst out laughing. "I hate to break it to you, Edward, but I don't put out. That kind of hinders any real relationship with most men," I said getting up, but he grabbed my arm and pulled me back down to him.

"Please, Bella, I want to try," he begged.

"And what if it doesn't work out? What about Charlie?"

"I'll always be here for Charlie. I just think we should, you know, try," he said pleading.

"Can you handle not having sex for that long?" I asked skeptically.

He frowned a little, but nodded yes.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I knew I was about to make a huge mistake. "Okay."

He grinned widely. "So, can I take you out this weekend? Charlie will be at my sister's, so…" he trailed off.

"I guess."

"Geez, don't sound so excited," he teased.

"I'm sorry, it's just been a while, and I don't think this is a very smart thing for me to do."

"But you'll do it, right?" he asked unsure.

"Yeah, fine, Friday night then?" I asked.

"Yes." He hugged me tightly, "Thank you, Bella."

I couldn't help but be wary of what I was getting myself into.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7 – Accord**

That Friday afternoon, I had Jasper take Charlie home with him and the boys. Edward met me in my office, bouncing on the balls of his feet. He looked nervous. I was worried he'd come to cancel. I didn't know why it would bother me if he did. It would probably be better for everyone if he did.

"If you can't make it, I understand," I said preemptively. I figured it wouldn't hurt as much that way.

"What? Why? No, no, no! I, um, yeah, I was just wondering if you wanted to go back to your place and change first or what?" he stuttered. I still didn't know why he was so nervous.

"Oh, okay, yeah. I guess I'll meet you at my place in about twenty minutes?"

"Twenty minutes?" he asked confused.

"Yeah, ten to get there, ten to change?" I said in a duh voice.

"Oh, I, um, I guess you're fast."

"Should I be slow? What are we doing this evening?" I asked worried.

"We're just going back to my place. I kind of wanted to show you some stuff. Let you get to know me a little better. You don't really have the best impression of me, so I was hoping I could fix that," he nearly mumbled.

"Okay, ten minutes should be enough then. I'll see you in twenty," I said and gave him a reassuring smile. It was true; I didn't have the best impression of him, and maybe he could change that. I would love to find out he was really a good man and not some creepy womanizer.

He picked me up right on time, and the drive over was silent. His home was big, but not huge. The yard was well kept, and the place looked surprisingly like a family home in a nice family area.

"So, this is it," he said opening the door. "I'll get the take-out menus, and you can pick what you want from them," he said disappearing down the hall. I stood in the foyer, looking at the pictures on the wall. He had several of him and his family. He seemed to be very involved with Alice's children. It looked like he had even coached little league at one point.

He cleared his throat, alerting me to his presence.

"You coached," I said pointing to the picture.

"Alice was pregnant with Adeline then and needed Jasper to look after her. She was on bed rest or something. Anyway, the boys asked me to coach their teams, since their dad couldn't do it."

"That was nice of you."

He shrugged. "I planned on being there to watch them play, anyway. I just had to show up for practices as well."

"So, what do you do when you're not coaching little league or picking up women?" I asked.

He rubbed his neck nervously. "Honestly? Working. The company was such a mess when I finally got it. I've had to work my ass off to get it back in the black," he said, as he led me into a living room of some sort.

"So, you're a workaholic?" I asked.

He let out a breath, "Not on purpose, but when the CFO said our numbers had to improve or we'd have to let some people go, I just couldn't do it. You know, I couldn't just fire someone because of my family's failures."

"You didn't have a problem firing Rosalie."

He chuckled. "No, but that was her own doing. If someone doesn't pull their weight or causes trouble, risking other people's jobs, I don't mind letting them go."

I nodded in understanding.

"So, you were the girl on the beach that got me hooked on Virgil's vanilla cream soda," he said.

I nodded my head yes, and his eyes landed on my hand with my class ring. He picked it up and examined it. "A class ring. It's good to know you were able to graduate."

"It wasn't easy, but it had to be done."

"Yeah, I know how that goes," he said letting out a sigh. "So, what sounds good to you?" he asked passing me the menus.

I picked out some food, and he ordered it over the phone. We were waiting in an awkward silence, when the doorbell rang, and I about leaped out of my skin. He laughed at me and hurried to the door.

"Let's eat in the kitchen," he said carrying the bags back down the hall. I followed nervously and sat down at the little table. We were sitting and eating, when he broke the silence again.

"So, really, no other guys?" he asked.

I shook my head no. "I dated a couple of guys, but they always wanted more. I really have no interest in doing more. I mean, if I was married, then sure, fine, I'd do it, because…you know, he'd be my husband and want it, but really…"

"So, seriously, I completely ruined you?" he asked a little pained.

I blushed a little. "I just think sex is overrated. I mean, sure, the stuff leading up to it was nice, but the rest was really…"

"The stuff leading up to it?" he asked interested, and I ended up blushing a deeper red.

"Can I try and change your mind?" he asked leaning in. His breath fanned across my skin, sending shivers down my spine.

I pushed him back. "I don't think that's a good idea, Edward."

"Look, Bella, here's the thing; I'm refraining from sex right now, because I want to be a good father. You're refraining because you don't like it. I need you to understand what I'm missing, so you can be a little more understanding of my situation."

"What?" I snapped. "Look, if you want to go off and fuck a whore, be my guest!" I yelled, jumping up and storming to the door. I realized once I had reached it that I didn't have my car. What a rookie mistake.

He grabbed me and pulled me back against him. "NO! No, please, that's not what I meant. Damn it, Bella, I want to date you. I just need you to understand that sometimes I…I…"

"What?" I said trying to get away from him.

"Sometimes, I'm going to want you," he said almost defeated and let me go.

I turned around to see him looking at the floor sadly. "Is this some sort of game to you, Edward?" I asked still angry, but I needed the truth.

He shook his head no, his green eyes pleading with me to understand. "I'm sorry I messed everything up for you. I'm sorry I ruined your life. I just want to try and make you happy."

"And you think sex will make me happy?" I snapped at him.

"No! Damn it. This is all coming out wrong!" He ran his hands through his hair roughly and started pacing.

I leaned back against the door, waiting for him to settle down.

"I just wish I could fix it for you. I mean, make it better. I want to show you that I messed up, and it doesn't have to hurt. You know I can make you feel good, and I swear I'll stop if it hurts, but don't you think you should give it another try?"

"Are you asking me to sleep with you?"

"Bella, I…" He shook his head and sighed in defeat. "You know what, forget it. Just come and have some dinner, and I'll keep my hands to myself."

He turned and headed for the kitchen, and I followed a few moments later. He was sitting at the table with his face hidden in his takeout box. We ate in silence, and I looked around his kitchen. He had a few countertop appliances, but his pasta maker took me by surprise. "Can you cook, or is this stuff your women use?" I said motioning to it.

He looked up startled, and it took a moment for him to process my question. "I, um, yes, I cook. I don't bring women to my house. I've had problems with them in the past, so I keep my address and phone number unlisted."

"But I'm here?"

He shrugged. "You're different. I want you here." I could see the sincerity in his eyes, and so I decided I would give him another chance.

After dinner, he gave me a tour of his house. He had a music room, a sports room and his study. He had two guest bedrooms and then his bedroom. All were decorated neatly and contemporarily. Not really my style, but definitely Edward's. You could tell he lived here. He opened some balcony doors and showed me his backyard. It really was a gorgeous home.

"So, do you think it would be alright if we bring Charlie here sometime?" he asked. "Does it look safe enough? I mean, does it check out?" His eyes darted back to his room, as if he was making sure everything questionable was put away.

"Your house is fine, Edward. I think he'd like it, especially that swimming pool come summer."

His face lit up. "Really? It's okay? I mean, I don't need cabinet locks or anything?"

I laughed. "No, he's past that stage."

I saw a little something flash across his face, but then he hid it. "Yeah, I guess you're right." He sounded a little depressed, as he stared at the floor. I think he was really just starting to understand exactly what he'd missed out on.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8 – Closer**

The sad look on Edward's face pulled at my heartstrings, and I stepped forward, wanting to comfort him. He was really trying, and it was really sweet of him. "Hey, I'm sorry we didn't find each other sooner."

He shook his head and then pulled me into his arms. He felt so warm and good. I was rarely held by a man, and this just felt so right. He nuzzled into my neck a little and let out a sigh. His warm breath sent a shiver down my spine. "Cold?" he whispered in my ear.

Why was my body responding like this? "No," I answered, before I realized what I had done. He started kissing my neck softly, and I moaned against my will. I had to pull myself together and extract myself from his arms. When I pulled back, he took it wrong, and his lips captured mine. Oh, his evil lips that set me on fire! No one had ever kissed me like him. He was sucking the sanity right out of me and making me want to do stupid things. His hands brushed my pert nipples, and one would have thought that would shock me into sanity, but it just made me moan like a hussy. What was he doing to me?

Things got out of hand fast after that, and next thing I knew, I was screaming his name like a seasoned whore, as he went down on me. Damn, I forgot how good that really felt. He lapped at my body like a starving man, and after I lost it a second time, he climbed up my body, nipping at my breasts. I didn't know why I was letting him do this to me. I should have stopped him.

"I want you. I want to be inside you," he begged. I didn't know when he'd lost his clothes, but he was rubbing his naked cock against me.

My breath caught in my throat. "It'll hurt," I whimpered, grabbing his shoulders, trying to stop him.

He kissed me softly and tenderly. I wondered if he was like this with all his girls. "No, Bella, It won't. I promise to be gentle this time. I promise I'll make it good," he said, and I felt his fingers moving inside me. He was hitting a spot I wasn't familiar with, my eyes rolled back, and I bucked against him. "That's it, baby, loosen up, I'll make it good, you'll see."

I moaned his name, and then suddenly I felt very full. It didn't burn like last time, and when he started pumping inside of me, I swear my eyes rolled right out of my head.

"That's it, beautiful, let me feel you let go," he panted in my ear.

"HOLY…!" I panted unable to finish my sentence. It did not feel like this at all last time. This felt good...really good.

He grabbed my knees and shifted his hips to a different angle, and my world exploded. I was screaming and panting, trying to catch my breath.

"That's it, baby! Shit, so…damn!" he grunted, and suddenly, I felt his warmth spread through me.

My eyes popped open wide, and I started to panic. I shoved him off me, and he collapsed and looked at me shocked.

"Bella, did I hurt you? Shit, honey, are you okay?" he asked.

I looked down at my shaky naked legs. His stuff was dripping down them, and I looked back at him furious. I reached out and slapped him hard.

He sat back with his jaw hanging opened. "Bella?" he asked confused.

"You did it again!" I said shouting.

"I hurt you?" he asked panicked.

"No, you bastard, you didn't use protection!"

His eyes widened. He looked at his nightstand, and he started swearing. "Shit, I'm so sorry! I swear, I didn't...I've never done it without...I just got so caught up with you. You're different. You're not just a fuck, damn it! You're so distracting!"

"You're trying to blame this on me?" I asked.

He jumped up, shaking his head no. Good thing, too, or he would have ended up with a black eye. "No, I mean, I didn't plan on...see, with the others…Oh, hell, Bella, I…"

I slid down the wall and started crying. He was on his knees in front of me in seconds. "Jesus, please. I mean, I'm so sorry. God, would you…I mean, can I…?" I didn't know what he was trying to say, but next thing I knew, he was carrying me to his bed and tucking me in. "I'm so sorry, baby, really I am." He pulled me against him, and I could feel the sheet between us. I was grateful for that. I didn't think I could handle feeling his naked body against me again. He just cuddled me close. "I'm sorry, baby, please, I'm so sorry," he continued to plead, and that was what I fell asleep to.

I woke up to a warm hand on my breast and something hard poking into my back. I looked over my shoulder and saw Edward was still asleep. Well, most of him was, anyway. I turned over to face him, and when he felt me move, he pulled me tight against him and whimpered, "No." He looked so sad.

I reached up and ran my fingers through his hair. Sleeping, I could really get a good look at him, and I saw how much Charlie truly did look like his father. I rested my head against his chest and felt him rub my back. "Bella," he sighed lightly, and I looked up, thinking he was awake, but he wasn't. I was glad he was dreaming of me and not someone else, especially since he was sporting the morning wood of the century. It was pressed into my thigh, right by my core. This was dangerous. I needed to back off, before something stupid happened _again._ That would be a bad thing, right? I wondered…where the hell did the sheet go that had been between us?

When he felt me squirm, he pulled me tighter against him, shifting my body over him, and I was now lined up with him. His tip was just inside me, and now he was starting to squirm. He was breathing heavy, and I could guess what he was dreaming about. His hips bucked a little, and he pressed further into me. My eyes widened, and I needed to wake him up. I wasn't ready to do this again, he hadn't loosened me up, or whatever it was he had done. I didn't think I could take him again. I pushed up off of his chest, but his hands slid down to my hips, and then he suddenly pushed me down onto him.

HOLY FUCKING HELL! He was in all the way!

He moaned my name and bucked again, and then his eyes started to slowly open. He had a lazy smile on his face, but that changed as soon as he saw my shocked face.

"Bella? Are you okay?" he asked.

I shook my head no, and he quickly sat up, wrapping his arms around me, causing my knees to hit the mattress. "Does it hurt?" he worried.

I shook my head no again, and it wiggled my body, causing us both to groan a little.

"Are you…?" He didn't finish asking whatever it was; he just looked down at where we were joined. "Jesus, how did…?" He shifted a little, pulling out a bit, but I ended up slipping back down on him. He groaned and gripped me tighter, as he rested his head on my shoulder.

"Edward," my voice cracked.

"Don't move, please, just..." He was breathing hard.

My legs were cramping, though, so I shifted again, and he gripped my hips. "Oh, fuck," he groaned and suddenly started pumping into me. This felt different than it did last night. Not bad, but good. Really good. I threw my head back and cried out, and I guess he figured that was me giving him the okay, and so he took my nipple into his mouth. His strong arms pumped my hips up and down over him, and my body exploded again. "Jesus, shit!" he growled, and then I realized why. Hot liquid filled my insides, and I looked down at him and started crying.

I pulled up off of him and looked down at myself bawling. I pulled my legs up and wrapped my arms around them.

"Damn it, I didn't…How did we…? Ah, hell, baby, please don't be upset. We'll fix this, whatever happens, we'll handle it together. I'll be here this time," he said trying to comfort me. He pulled me into his lap, kissing my hair.

To Edward's credit, he seemed very repentant and pampered me like crazy, until it was time to go and get Charlie. He begged to come along, and I let him. He needed to get to know his son better, anyway.

"Can you both come to my house for dinner?" he asked, as we drove to his sister's house.

"Only if you let me cook. I don't want Charlie to think takeout is a normal meal."

"It's not?" he asked confused, and I laughed.

"No, Edward, it's not. Once we get him, we'll go to the grocery store and buy something to make. You said you can cook."

He shrugged. "Yeah, but the good stuff takes time. I usually don't have it."

"Well, it's time to start making it," I said with a smile.

His smile widened, and he nodded okay. "You're right. I have a reason to take time out and cook something good now," he said happily, squeezing my hand.

Charlie didn't want to leave, but when he heard we were going to Edward's house, he seemed more excited again. I guess home was boring.

Charlie decided he wanted to make pudding for dessert, since Edward and I were cooking. I let him do it on his own, and it turned out well. I also introduced Edward to oven-ready lasagna noodles, but he didn't seem thrilled.

"I'll try them, but one of these days, I'm going to make you the good stuff," he promised.

He took Charlie to look around the house, while I finished up the dinner. There were only a few more minutes left on the lasagna, and I just needed to uncover it, so it would brown and put the cheese bread in the oven.

Once I was done, I went looking for the boys. I found them in the music room. Edward had a couple of guitars, and Charlie and him where holding them. I watched for a moment, as Edward showed him the different cords. I couldn't help but smile.

"Hey, Mom, Mr. Cullen was teaching me guitar, isn't that cool? He said he wants to get me one my own size, since this one is a little big," Charlie said excitedly.

I saw Edward smiling sadly at our son. I realized it was probably because he was calling him Mr. Cullen, not dad or even Edward. I would have to talk to him about it tonight. We would have to come up with a plan on how to tell Charlie the truth. There was no holding it back anymore.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9 – Again**

Over the next several weeks, we spent every day after work at Edward's home. On the weekends, Charlie would stay with Alice, and Edward and I would date. He was truly trying to get to know me, and we had not had a repeat of that first date since. I wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing. I tried to remain indifferent, but sometimes, he would look at me with this burning in his eyes, and I wondered if he wanted me again. Still, he kept his distance.

History had apparently repeated itself, and I had something I needed to tell him, but I was holding back, because I still wasn't certain he was going to stick around. He had said we would handle any complications together, yet I was still apprehensive about his reaction to my news, so I had kept quiet for now.

He came to my office a little earlier on Friday, looking a bit nervous. I wondered if he was getting sick of us and was ready to cancel our time together. He was twisting his shirttail in his hands, and I wondered if his mother had scolded him for that, like I scolded Charlie.

"Did you need something, Boss?" I asked, and he smiled.

He shook his head no, but came in and sat down. "Well, maybe I do. I was, um, wondering…" He let out a sigh.

"Do you need to cancel?" I asked my heart clenching a little.

"No! No! Why do you always think I'm going to cancel?" he asked worried.

I just shrugged, but the truth was that Edward was a very handsome, rich man. He could do so much better than me.

"Well, I was wondering if we could, you know, see about…" he took a deep breath, "Can we tell Charlie?" he asked.

I looked at him surprised. "Really?"

He nodded yes.

"Are you sure you're ready for that kind of responsibility? I mean, it isn't just a title, Edward, it really means something to us, if he's finally allowed to call you dad. You can't just say 'I'm your dad' and then take off on us. He'd be crushed. I mean, you have to be really committed to this." I realized I sounded like a bitch, but I didn't want my boy getting hurt, or me for that matter.

"I am, Bella, and I can prove it." He made his way around my desk and knelt down in front of me. "Bella, I missed you for too long. I love you, and I don't want to lose you or Charlie." He reached into his pocket, pulling something out. He snapped open a little box, causing my eyes to widen. "Bella, marry me," he begged.

I sat in shock, not sure what to say. He was starting to look worried. "I'm pregnant," I finally said. I didn't know why, but I felt he should know before he got himself tied up with us. "I don't want an abortion, Edward."

His brow furrowed for a moment. "Abortion? Why would you? I wouldn't ask you to..." his eyes finally shot up to mine in a panic, "It is mine, right?"

I scowled at him. "Of course it is, you jerk!" I said pushing him over and grabbing my purse. "You're still the only man I've ever been with!" I was headed for the door, when I felt his arms wrap around me.

"Don't go, Bella, please…just…I didn't understand why you thought I'd want you to get an abortion. Please, please, don't leave me," he begged, and I started to relax in his arms. He turned me around and held me so tightly I could hardly breathe. The poor boy was really scared.

"Don't squeeze me so tight," I begged needing to breathe.

"Oh, my god!" he yelled jumping back, "Oh, god! Oh, god! Is it alright, did I hurt it?" He scooped me up, setting me in the chair. "Do I need to get the doctor?"

"Edward." He continued to panic, and it was just about the most adorable thing ever, as he fussed over me, putting my feet up and rambling on about getting me more assistants, so I wouldn't have to stand. I finally grabbed his face, when he started wondering if he could fit a bed in here, so I could be sure to keep the baby with me. "Edward, I'm fine."

His hand was lightly rubbing my tummy. "Are you sure?"

I nodded yes.

He let out a relieved sigh. I pulled him up to my face and started kissing him softly, but it quickly got heated. He let out a groan. "I want to make love to you, but I don't want to hurt our little one."

I snickered lightly. "It won't hurt it."

He let out a sigh. "Can we just talk to a doctor first to be sure?" he asked, and I couldn't help but smile.

"Alright, Edward." He pulled me up out of my seat and reached for his keys.

He stopped suddenly, and I realized he'd felt the box with the ring in his pocket. He looked at me sadly, and then he looked down and started for the door, not looking back.

"Edward?" I asked worried. Was he retracting the proposal because I was pregnant?

"It's okay, Bella, if you're not ready to get married yet, I understand. I know it was kind of fast..."

I cut him off with my lips. "Yes," I whispered against them. It took him a moment, but suddenly, he was devouring my lips with new fervor.

"Yes? As in yes, you'll marry me?" he asked hopeful.

I nodded yes, and he picked me up and spun me around, but then he quickly stopped in a panic. "Oh no, is the baby alright?"

I laughed a little. "Yes, Edward, it's fine."

He patted my tummy gently. "Just stay in there," he spoke softly, making me smile, and then he kissed me again. I think I was going to enjoy being pregnant with Edward's baby this time.

We decided to announce our engagement, but not our pregnancy. We planned on making it a quick wedding. No reason to get my dad riled up if we didn't need to.

Of course, once we got to his sister's house, Edward was too panicked when she grabbed me and hugged me, shouting at her not to squish me, and then he scooped me up, making me sit down, ignoring everyone's weird looks.

"Oh, my god! You did it again, didn't you!" she squealed. "Oh, my god, Dad is just going to freak! You know, Mom had a cow when I told her about Charlie."

"You what?" he yelled at her.

"It was an accident! It just slipped out! I didn't mean to!"

He looked at me worried. "I hope you're okay with that. I planned on telling them after we talked to Charlie about calling me Dad."

"Dad?" I heard a voice ask from the hallway. Charlie's eyes darted between Edward's and mine. He walked over and then looked down at my hand that was now sporting a new diamond. "Are you going to marry him?" he asked sounding a little nervous.

I nodded my head yes and pulled him into my arms. "You'll always be my number one man, but Edward really wants to be part of our family."

He looked at Edward for a moment and then back to me. "Is he my dad, Mom? I mean, my real dad?"

I nodded yes.

He let out a breath. "Where was he?"

"He didn't know about you, honey. He didn't know I had a baby, and then his family needed him, so he wasn't able to come back to me. We got lost."

He frowned. "Are you going to lose us again?" he asked Edward.

Edward shook his head no fervently. "I'll put tracking devices on you both if that makes you feel better, but no, I never, ever plan on losing you ever again," he said firmly. "I love you, Charlie, I'm sorry I missed out on so much, but I want to be there now."

Charlie took a deep breath and nodded okay. Edward pulled him into his arms and hugged him tightly, kissing the top of his head. "Thank you. I promise to take good care of both of you."

Charlie smiled up at him. "We promise to take good care of you, too, Dad."

We hated leaving him after that, but he didn't seem to mind. He wanted to play with his cousins. They were so much cooler now that they were family.

We made our way back to Edward's, and I was a little surprised to see a car in his driveway. Edward didn't seem all that surprised, though. When we walked in, there was an older couple waiting for him. They looked like his parent, but I hadn't seen them in a very long time.

"Mom, Dad, I hope your flight was good," he said nervously.

His mother looked me up and down, and then she seemed to be looking for something. "Where's the boy? Alice said she had a son, your son to be more specific. One who just happens to have your laugh and makes the same faces," she said as if she was quoting Alice. I guess she really had slipped. His dad just looked tired.

"How about we have a drink?" Edward offered.

"A drink? A drink? Do you think alcohol will make me forget I have a grandson! Once Alice let it slip, I went off, sure she was just another Jane, but Alice insisted that there was a paternity test, and you really were stupid enough to knock up a young girl." She turned her attention to me. "My heavens, dear, what are you, nineteen?" She pinched the bridge of her nose. "No, wait, she said you were seventeen. Honestly, Edward, you're almost twice her age!"

"Mom, it's not what you think…" Edward tried to speak.

"Edward, you can end up in jail! What do her parents think of this mess you've gotten her into? Carlisle, for heaven sakes, talk some sense into your son!" She stepped back, trying to catch her breath; her face was red. Her husband stepped forward and looked wearily at both of us.

"Sir, if I may," I spoke before he could start. I didn't want Edward to get in anymore trouble. "I'm not seventeen now, I was when I got pregnant, but our son will be nine next week. There's no risk of him going to jail for anything."

Carlisle let out a relieved sigh. "Oh, that's good. So what do you need? Something must've happened to cause you to come forward now?" he asked with curiosity.

"Jasper hired her. We had no idea; it was a shock to both of us, actually. I'm going to marry her, Dad."

His mother's eyes shot open wide. "Marry? When?" Her eyes darted to my hand, and she quickly grabbed it. "Really, Edward? For real, you're actually going to finally settle down?"

"Yes, Mother. I asked her to marry me earlier today, and she said yes."

His mother let out a loud squeal that rivaled Alice's, and now I knew where she had gotten it from. She grabbed us both in her arms, hugging us tightly. "Oh, my baby, I'm so happy for you!"

We spent the rest of the evening talking about what had happened and how we had gotten back together. Once Esme figured out that I was the girl who had driven him nuts at the cabin, she was even more excited. She felt bad that she had taken him away from me, but I let her know I understood. It wasn't her fault she had lost her parents.

The next day, we met for brunch with all of Edward's family. They were taken with Charlie and impressed with his manners. Then Alice let it slip that I was expecting again. Yeah, that did not go as we'd planned, either, but thankfully, Esme and Carlisle were happy for us.

Now, my parents…that was another story. It took them a while to understand that I'd actually found Charlie's father, and we were getting married. I figured I'd better tell them about the baby, too, because Edward's family was crap with keeping secrets. My mom and Phil were excited for us. My father was something else. I wasn't sure, but when he came to visit, he gave Edward a sad look. I finally figured out what his problem was, when I heard him say, "I'm sorry, I didn't know." He blamed himself for not giving Edward my contact information. Of course, back then, I didn't know if I would have been ready to handle being married to him. I was so young and scared.

In the end, though, it all worked out for us. We were finally getting our happily ever after.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10 - Ever After**

My parents worried we were moving too fast, but when they saw the way Edward looked after me and the way I longed for him, even when he would be in the next room, they knew that we belonged together. I had never missed a man like I missed him.

With the help of my mother, Alice and Esme, the wedding was planned and perfect. I let Edward take care of the guest list, as I really didn't have anyone other than our families to invite. I was curious, when I saw him stash a stack of invitation to the side. I thought he was being sentimental, but Alice explained that he was going to mail them all to his old flings after the wedding to let them know he was off the market for good. I loved that he wanted everyone to know.

The wedding was quick and beautiful. We had it in our backyard, and I just loved the perfect decorations that lit up the night sky. The addition of the swans to the pool was perfect, and the soft candlelight gave it all a romantic feeling.

My father gave me away, and when I threw my bouquet, my assistant, Angela, caught it. I happened to know she was attending with her very serious boyfriend, Ben. I hoped he got the hint. I was not surprised that none of the Masen side of the family came to the wedding. I guess they still had hard feelings about Edward taking over, but he had done so well for the company, they had no reason to complain. His grandfather had known what he was doing, when he left it to Edward.

Edward was excited to have us move into his house. He considered getting an elevator installed, so I wouldn't exert myself going up the stairs. I had my OB/GYN explain to him that a little exercise was good for us both. She also let him know that having sex would not hurt the baby. Thankfully, Dr. Johnson was a kind and understanding woman and thought my husband's paranoia was endearing. I had to admit, it was kinda cute. Thank heavens she let him know sex was safe, because my sex drive was in overdrive. I just couldn't seem to get enough of him, but lucky for me, he couldn't seem to get enough of me, either. Of course, with me being pregnant, he was always gentle, but I hoped once I wasn't, that would change. He had opened me up to the wonderful world of good sex, and I was ready to explore it with my husband.

He still worried non-stop about me overdoing it and constantly begged me to take it easy, even after the doctor explained to him the baby would not fall out if I was upright. Yes, my husband was adorable. He did finally talk me into putting a comfy couch in my office, which I would admit to napping on occasionally, but at least it wasn't a bed, and it was definitely useful for a little bit of afternoon delight. I loved working close with my husband.

I didn't know why I had been so worried about being with Edward. All the signs pointed to him being a good family man, it was just hard to see past all the women, but he took to being a husband and father like a fish to water. Word got out fast that he was taken and would not tolerate his old fling's attentions. He was quick to call security if he was at work and one of them showed up, and he spent the rest of his time with us. I was worried that he would feel trapped, but I could see in his eagerness to come home and spend time with us that he was happy.

He did his best to come home by five o'clock every evening, and he always took the weekends off to spend with us, and boy did he spend them. He was coaching Charlie's little league team now and teaching him how to play guitar. He was also in charge of making the pasta for the week. Yes, I said the week. I was pregnant, and I got what I craved. His pasta was amazing, but very time-consuming to make. So every Saturday afternoon, he would take time to make noodles, so I could have them to make for dinner the rest of the week. He really was an amazing cook. I so hit the jackpot with him.

We changed Charlie's last name to Cullen, and he was moved to the private school that Jackson and Joshua attended. Those three were thick as thieves and tried to spend every free moment with each other. I was happy that Charlie had such good friends and family no less to fall back on.

Our daughter, little Annabelle, joined us in September, a beautiful six pounds five ounces. She had thick red hair and beautiful blue eyes when she was born that quickly turned Cullen green. Apparently, the Cullen genes were strong ones. She was beautiful. She had Edward wrapped around her finger instantly. He got himself a baby carrier and would keep her with him whenever he had free time. He didn't want to miss anything this time around. He was the one to encourage her to say her first words and take her first steps, and he was loving every minute of it. I had to admit, she was a daddy's girl.

I did have to stop him from wrapping everything in bubble wrap to "baby proof" the house. He did, however, actually pay some people to come in and do it. I didn't even ask how much it was, I didn't want to know.

I ended up staying home with the kids. Yes, I said kids. Annabelle was joined by Clarabelle. Yes, Edward was picking the names. I'm guessing you see a trend here? She was born the July just before little Anna turned two. Her red hair and green eyes let everyone know she was Edward's, too, and her demeanor was just as loud as her hair. Anna was rather quiet and reserved, where Clara was into everything. She really tested out the baby proofing.

Charlie was getting a little bummed that we had yet to give him a brother, but that was resolved two years later with little Masen Carlisle Cullen. Our house was overflowing with children. Well, at least it felt like it. The girls shared a room, and Charlie had his own, as he was thirteen when Masen was born. Edward gave up his sports room, and it became the new nursery. It, of course, had a sports theme.

Edward was cutting his hours back more and more and finally just ended up working from home, because he wanted to spend time with his kids. It also made slipping in an afternoon quickie during naptime totally doable. Yes, I liked having my honey home.

It was the summer after Charlie had turned fifteen that we took everyone to the cabins in Arizona to visit my dad. We rented one out for a few months, just like Edward's family had done so long ago. Alice's family, along with Edward's parents, planned on joining us. We were looking forward to having a good time with our family. Edward bragged about my expert snake handling and fire-making skills. I just mentioned that he looked good moving luggage.

I had to smile the first night we were there, when Alice plopped down beside me in front of the fire and gave me something that I thought I would never see again. It was the dirty book with the nasty cover I had let her borrow over fifteen year ago. I burst out laughing and was about to toss it into the flames, but my insatiable husband grabbed it and wanted to read it together. So we did. The next day, my dad took all the kids fishing, and Edward and I snuck up to the loft in his cabin. My same bed was still under the same window, and so Edward and I cuddled up together, laughing and reading the smutty story. It didn't take long for us to be out of our clothes and wrapped up in each other.

"Wow, if this bed could only talk, huh?" I teased as I caught my breath.

Edward looked sad for a moment. "I'm glad it can't. It'd be calling me some pretty choice things, no doubt."

I reached and took his face in my hands. "I have no regrets, Edward. We have an amazing family. If things hadn't started here, who knows where we'd both be right now."

"I know one thing," he said as he pulled me against him, where I could feel that he was already getting hard again, "I'm happier now than I've ever been. We started our family, albeit inadvertently, in this bed. Who knows, maybe history repeating itself would be a good thing," he grinned and pressed himself into me again, as he whispered how much he loved me.

I had been waiting for his birthday soon to surprise him with the news that we were already expecting again, twins this time, but it would be fun to play it off as cabin karma. What he didn't know wouldn't hurt him. In fact, I was pretty certain it would be just what he wanted to hear.


End file.
